Illuminatable display sign casings



March 6, 1962 R. H. MUSE ILLUMINATABLE DISPLAY SIGN CASINGS Filed April13, 1959 www, @4f/7 Z/ @from/ys Unite rates This invention relates toimprovements in illuminatablc display sign casings, and moreparticularly to an illuminatable display sign casing which isperipherally illuminated and ventilated.

Conventional illuminatable sign casings for display purposes arecustomarily large, bulky and heavy land are usually mounted in elevatedpositions. The hollow interior of a sign casing of this type houses thetubes, ballast and electrical connections, and means must be provided toafford access to the interior of the sign casing for servicing orrepl-acing the elements housed therein land for cleaning the interiorsurfaces of the translucent faces of the sign casing. In conventionalsign ycasing structures of the type mentioned the opposed translucentfaces of the casing are formed as the outer walls of pan-like facingmembers which are mounted for movement to permit access to the interiorof the casing, and the movement of such facing pans is customarilyrelative to an annular, intermediate drum or divider, which drum ordivider carries certain of the sign components.

In the field under consideration it is, of course, desirable toconstruct the sign casings as flat and compact as possible, but this mayresult in a restricted interior space which will become overheated bythe lamps or tubes, when the sign is being illuminated. Also, inconventional sign casings of `the type under consideration the lightrays pass outwardly through the translucent faces of the panlike sidemembers and adequately illuminate these plane surfaces, but there is noillumination for the peripheral portions of the sign casing. Peripheralillumination of the sign casing 4becomes an increasingly greater problemas the bulkinessor breadth of the sign is increased. With the foregoingin mind it is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention toprovide an illuminatable display sign casing formed of a pair ofcompanion pan-like facing members which close relative to an interposedintermediate drum or divider, wherein the breadth and bulkiness `of thesign casing is kept to a minimum, with the provision of adequate andeicient means for both Ventilating the interior of the sign casing andilluminating its entire periphery.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an illuminatable displaysign casing which is of very compact and flat construction, which isstrong and rigid, which is weatherproof, which is simple to manufactureand assemble, which may be easily opened for servicing, which providesfor the simple and effective hinged mountling of the opposite Afacingpans of the casing, which proyvides for thorough ventilation of theinterior of the sign casing to permit the dissipation of heat, whichprovides for illumination of the display faces of the sign as well asfor novel peripheral illumination of the casing, which .presents a neatand attractive appearance, and which is well adapted for the purposesdescribed.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of theimproved illuminatable display sign casing, and its parts andcombinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, in which the same refviews atentO,

FIG. l is a side and end perspective viewvof the im- 3,023,524 PatentedMar. 6, 1962 ice proved peripherally illuminated and ventilated displaysign casing; l

FIG. 2 is an end view of a display sign casing showing the manner inwhich the facing pans may be hinged outwardly from the drum or dividerto provide access to the interior of the casing;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken approximately on line 3 3 ofFIG. 1 and on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 ofFIG. l and on a larger scale; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged face view of the display sign casing with one ofthe facing pans removed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will appear that thednlm or divider of the improved illuminatable display sign casing isindicated generally by the numeral 10 and the same takes the form of anopen rectangular frame of secured-together metallic elements. Securedwithin the drum 10,is a support 11 which may provide a mounting meansfor a ballast 12 (omitted from FIG. 3) and other suitable electricalconnections. The drum also serves as a support or mounting means for ahigh output fluorescent lamp 13, or the like, which is illustrated asbeing of circular contour, but which may be of any desired shape to suitthe requirements of the casing and sign.

On the upper frame element of the drum 10 there are spacedly secured apair of upwardly projecting stirrups 14, each of which carries at itsupper open end a pair of hinge pins 15. Each stirrup 14 is bolted to theupper element of the divider 10 by an upright bolt 16 whose threadedshank portion extends substantially above the open end of its stirrup 14for a purpose hereinafter to be set forth. The lower frame member of thedrum 10 has secured therein the inner end portions o-f a pair of latchplate carrying bolts 17 having enlarged outer end portions to facilitatemanual manipulation thereof. Slidably mounted on the shank portion ofeach of the bolts 17 is a latch plate v13 having downturned end flanges.Downward movement of the latch plates on the bolts 17 is limited byshouldered hubs 19 and said latch plates may be manually moved upwardlyon the shanks of their bolts 17 `'against the tension of confined coiledsprings 20.

Each face of the open drum frame or divider 10 is adapted to be closedby a translucent pan-like facing member indicated generally by thenumeral 21. The major portion of each pan-like facing member 21 isformed of a sheet of translucent plastic material shaped to provide aflat front face 22 which in practice may bear lettering, pictorialrepresentations or other advertising indicia to be illuminated by thetube or tubes 13 Within the drum frame. Additionally, each panlikefacing member 21 includes integral top and bottom surfaces 23 and 24extending angularly from the upper and lower margins of its front face22, and integral angularly outwardly directed end surfaces 25. Theperipheral portions of the pan-like facing members 21 are provided withflanges 26.

The flanged peripheral portion of each pan-like facing member 21 isadapted to carry a rectangular or annular Ventilating and illuminatingcollar designated generally by the numeral 27. The major extents of theelements of each collar 27 are at and in a plane parallel to the frontface portions 22 of the facing members 21. When the facing members 21are closed on the drum frame or divider 10, as in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, toclose the interior of the sign casing, the elements of the collars 27extend laterally outwardly from the margins of the drum or divider 10,as do substantial marginal portions of the pan-like facing members 21.Around the periphery of the drum or divider 10, between the laterallyprojecting portions of the closed pan-like facing member 21 there areopen channels best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, but the open inner faceperipheral portions of the facing members 21 are covered by the planeextents of the collars 27, but said plane extents are provided with aplurality of small apertures 28 which, when the sign is in use with thetube 13 energized, serve to ventilate the interior of the closed signcasing, and permit the dissipation of heat to the atmosphere. Also, thevarious apertures 28 in the plane portions of the collar 27 permit lightrays to pass therethrough outwardly for the effective illumination ofthe entire peripheral portion of the sign casing, as well as thetranslucent portions of the facings. Any convenient practical means maybe provided for securing the outer peripheral portions of the collar 27to the flanged edge 26 of the pan-like facing members 21. A practicalmode of attachment is to form reverse U-shaped flanges 29 on themarginal portions of the collars 27 and to clinch the same about theperipheral anges 26 on the pan-like facing members. Also, the innerperipheral margins of the collars 27 are provided with right angularflanges 30 to overlap and make tight engagement with portions of thedrum or divider 10, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The inner face portion of the upper element of each collar 27 has weldedor otherwise secured thereto, so as to coincide with the positions ofthe stirrups 14, upstanding hinge plates 31 which are alsov apertured.The upper ends of said hinge plates are formed with hooks 32 to engage`the hinge pins 15 carried by the stirrups 14. By this arrangement eachpan-like facing member 21 is' hingedly mounted at its upper end relativeto the drum or divider frame so that either or both of the pan-likefacing members 21 may be hinged- 1y moved to an open position, as shownin FIG. 2, to give access to the interior of the sign casing, or bydisengaging the hook portions 32 of the hinge plates 31 from the pinscomplete removal of a facing member 21 is possible.

ln the lower elements of the collars 27 there are eccentrically shapedopenings 33 (see FIG. 5) which register with the positions of theyieldingly mounted latch plates 18. To releasably secure the lowerportions of the pan-like facing members 21 to the bottom portion of thedrum 10, it is merely necessary to manipulate the locking plates 18 ontheir bolt Shanks 17 so as to pass the flanged 'ends of the plates 18through enlargements in the eccentric openings 33, whereupon the flangedportions of the plates will lock against the inner surfaces of the stockadjacent the openings 33, as in FIG. 3. The plates are yieldingly heldin said latched positions by the springs 20, and this serves to securethe lower ends of the hingedly movable facing members 21 in theirclosing positions. Unlatching of the facing plates is accomplishedthrough 'a reverse manipulation of the plates 18 to disengage the samefrom their openings 33.

With reference to FIGS. l and 3, it will be observed that there ismounted on the projecting outer end portions of the opstanding drumcarried bolts 16 an elongated tianged canopy plate 34. This plate 34 iscoextensive with the channel between the upper elements of the twoseparated collars 27 and the canopy plate 34 rests on the upper marginsof the same in overhanging relation and completely covers and protectsthe channel or space along the upper margin of the closed sign casing.The plate is firmly clamped in position by nuts 35 threaded onto thebolts 16 but the canopy plate may be removed, if desired. When in use,and if the sign casing is installed out of doors, the plate 34 serves asa protection against rain, dirt and foreign matter.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the construction ofthe improved display sign casing provides for a relatively flat andcompact illuminatable sign which is of novel and attractive appearancebecause, not only .are the sign facings illuminated, but a peripheralband around the sign casing is also illuminated by means whichadditionally serve the purpose of eifectively Ventilating the interior`yof lthe lsign casing. The latter is avery important factor because ofthe compact, at construction of the casing which, without means ofadequate ventilation, would become internally overheated. In addition tothe structural features of the sign casing which provide for peripheralventilation and illumination, the pan-like facing members may be readilyopened or removed to permit access to the interior of the casing forreplacements, repairs, cleaning and servicing. The improved peripherallyilluminated and ventilated display sign is of simple, inexpensive andnovel construction, and is well adapted for the purposes' set forth.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In an illuminatable display sign construction, a rectangular frameforming a drum, illuminating means housed Within the drum frame, apan-like member for closing a face of said drum, the longitudinal andtransverse dimensions of the pan-like member being greater than those ofthe drum frame, said pan-like facing member including a dished sheet oftranslucent material with a rectangular anged peripheral portion, aninwardly projecting collar carried by the flanged peripheral portion of`the pan-like facing member to marginally abut the outer surfaceportions of the drum when the panlike member is in closing relation to aface of the drum frame, the collar overlapping and covering open faceportions of the pan-like member outward-ly of ythe periphery of the drumframe and being apertured laterally outwardly of the periphery of thedrum frame to permit the passage of light and heat from the interiorofthe display sign around -the periphery thereof.

2.1m an illuminatable display sign construction, a frame forming anintermediate drum, the walls forming the drum frame having their planesparallel to the drum axis, illuminating means housed within the drumframe, a panlike member for closing each face of said drum and extendingbeyond the periphery of the interposed drum, each pan-like facing memberincluding a dished sheet with a flanged, annular peripheral portionsurrounding the inner open face of the pan-like facing member, aninwardly projecting collar carried by the flanged peripheral portion ofeach pan-like facing member, the plane of each collar being at rightangles to the planes of the drum end walls, said collars abuttinglaterally spacedapart outer surface portions of said drum walls when thepan-like members are in closing relation to the opposite faces of thedrum frame, there being formed between said collars and outwardly of allsides of the drum frame a peripheral outwardly opening channel, thecollars overlapping and covering marginal open face portions of thepan-like members outwardly of the periphery of the drum frame and beingapertured to emit light into said outwardly opening channel and toventilate and cool the interior of the display sign.

3. In an illuminatable `display sign construction, a rectangular frameforming an open faced intermediate drum, high output electricalilluminating means completely housed within lthe drum frame, a pan-likemember for closing each face of said drum and extending on all sidesbeyond the periphery of the interposed drum, each pan-like facing memberincluding a dished sheet of translucent material with a flanged, annularperipheral portion surrounding the inner open face of the pan-likefacing member, an inwardly projecting collar carried by the flangedperipheral portion ofv each pan-like facing member, said collarsterminating adjacent Alaterally spaced outer surface portions of -thedrum Walls when the pan- ]ike members are in closing relation to theopposite faces of the drum frame to provide an outwardly openingperipheral channel, the collars overlapping and covering marginal openface portions of the pan-like members outwardly of the periphery of thedrum frame and said portions of the collars being apertured to emitlight and heat from the interior of the display sign and forming theside walls of said channel, means movably mounting the pan-like` memberson the drum frame, and a canopy supported from a portion of the drumframe spacedly over a portion of the open side said peripheral channel.

4. A casing for an illuminatable display sign, comprising a pair ofpan-like facing members, each including a dished sheet of lightpermeable material with a rectangular peripheral frame for its openface, the open faces of the dished sheets facing each other in spacedrelation, yan open rectangular drum frame of less size than the pan-likemembers spacedly intenposed between the open faces of the pan-likefacing members, the outermost margins of the drum frame being spacedinwardly from the margins of the open faces of the pan-like members,hinge means between portions of the pan-like members and the drum frame,illuminating means mounted within the drum frame, and a rectangular,apertured collar carried by and extending inwardly from the rectangularperipheral frame of the open face of each pan-like mem- 6 ber andbridging the space between Ilthe same and the periphery of the drumframe, the collars being spaced apart to prolvide a peripheral channelfor the casing through -which light and heat from the interior of thedrum frame is emitted through the exposed collar apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

